Keyboard mechanism



Dec. 4, 1934. c. H. sAMPsoN 1,983,099

KEYBOARD MEGHANI SM Original Filed Jan. 18, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1- INVEN TOR [HAnLEsh-j/MPJM Dec 4, 1934- c.H. sAMPsoN KEYBOARD MECHNISMoriginal Filed Jan. 18, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet '2 De- 4, 1934- c. H,sAMPsoN KEYBOARD MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 18, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3xvi/ENTOR- /ARL BY Dec. 4, 1934.

C. H. SAMPSON KEYBOARD MEGHANISM Original Filed Jan. 18, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet 4 [Nl/ENTOR Watented ec. 4, i934 animo me Gharles H.Sampson, Rochester, N. Y., assigner to Sampson Permagraph Go.. inc.,Rochter, N. Y., a corporation of New York original application Januaryra, 192e, sei-iai No. 333,300. Divided and this application August 1e,1931, serial No. 557.937

s claims. (c1. iev-fia) y provide the means for positioning the typeafter it has been selected.

These and other objects of this invention will becomemore readilyapparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows,reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical section view ofthe type selecting mechanism.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the type selecting mechanism.

' Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the type selectingmechanism.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the spindle support of the typecarrier.

t Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the spindle support, thesection being taken on the line 5x-51c of Figure 4. y

Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the selecting pins of the spindlesupport. i

Figure i is a top plan view of the spindl Support.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the shift lever mechanism.

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the cooperation of the typecarrier carriage with the justifying member.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicatelike parts.

The keyboard operated selecting mechanism for ,typewriters and otherprinting machines forming the subject matter of my present invention isan improvement of the key board selecting mechanism illustrated anddescribed in my prior application Serial No. 333,300 illed January 18,1929 and is intended rfor use in connection with the printing machineillustrated in that application.

'I'he present 'keyboard selecting mechanism is illustratednin theseveral figures with forty-one keys 1, 1, forty of which are arranged infour rows of ten keys in each row. The levers 2, 2 of these keys aremounted parallel to each other and are pivoted on the common pivot pin3(10- cated in the rear of the frame of the machine.

. 'I'he keysare arranged so that the rst, second,

`third etc. keysv of the four rows of keys have their levers placed sideby side so that the rst four consecutive key levers are those oi thenrst keys of each row. The following four consecutive key levers arethose of the second keys of each row. The next four consecutive keylevers In are those of the third keys of each row etc. this way the keysand their key levers are grouped into ten successive groups with fourlevers in each group. These groups of keys and key levers correspond tothe ten groups oi types provided on the type carrier 4 as willhereinafter be described.

Each of the key levers is `provided with a depending lug 5 and the lugsof each group of levers are spaced as illustrated in Figure 1 to engagethe upper ends of the bell crank levers 6, 7, 8 and 9. These levers arehinged on the pivot pin 10 and their lower ends each engage the frontend of one of the sliding cam bars l1, 11 which are mounted in suitablebearings in the frame of the machine parallel to each other. Each keyand key lever is thus adapted to transmit its motion thru one of thebell cranks to a sliding cam bar 11.

Each sliding cam bar 11 has at its forward end a depending lug 12 whichis connected with the frame of the machine by the springs 13 whichnormally draw the cam bars to the right in Figure l against the bellcrank levers and forces the upper' ends of these bell crank leversagainst the lugs 5 of the key levers in order to yieldingly hold theselevers in their normal inoperative position. In this Way each key bellcrank and sliding cam bar is operated against the tension of one of thesprings 13 which returns these members to their normal starting positionas soon as the key is released.

On the top edge of each of the sliding'cam bars vis a lug 14 which islocated in the same position on each bar. These lugs engage the shoulder15 provided on the frame of the machine when the sliding cam bars aremoved endways on the operation of a key and thus limit the movement ofeach sliding cam bar to a uniform travel.

On the bottom edge of eachof the sliding cam bars 11 is provided a camlug 16 and on the i 16 thereof are a series of ten pins 18, each ofwhich is supported in a cradle made up of a pair of bell cranks 19 and20. The bell cranks are connected and spaced by a sleeve 21 which inturn is pivotedl on the transverse pivot pin 22. Each bell crank shapedcradle is thus mounted to rock on the pivot pin 22 and one end of one ofthebell crank levers, making up the cradle, is connected with the frameof the machine by means of a spring 23 to normally hold the pin 18thereof in contact with the bottom edge of the cam bars.

As illustrated in Figure 2, each bell crank shaped cradle embraces fourof the sliding cam bars 11 and the ends of the bell cranks `making upeach cradle engage the side of the first and fourth of Athese cam barsof the group of bars which they embrace. 'I'he ten cradles thus embraceten successive groups of four cam bars 11 as illustrated in Figure 2.

Pivoted on each of the pins 18 of the cradles is an angular link 24which connects each cradle with a horizontal lever arm 25. The ten leverarms to which the cradles are connected are located on the platform 26and are mounted to rock on the lugs 27 supported thereon. These lugs aregrouped in back of the vertical spindle bearing 29 in which the hollowspindle 30 is mounted to rotate. The spindle bearing comprises acylindrical sleeve member which is anchored in a suitable hole in theplatform 26 and on the sleeve member are provided two annular fianges 31and 32 which are located above the platform and are suitably `s ced fromeach other. Each of these flanges is p ovided with a series of ten holeswhich are circularly arranged and equally spaced from each other. Theholes 33 in the flange 32 are adapted to have the shank of a stop pin 34slide up and down therein and the holes 33A provided in the flange 31 inline with the holes' 33 and are adapted to have the reduced extension 35of these pins project thereinto so that as these pins are raised theupper ends thereof are made to project above the flange 32 for a purposethat will presently appear. l

The stop pins 34 are slotted from the bottom to within a short distanceof the reduced extensions 35 thereof and in the slotted portions of thestop pins is provided a cross pin 36 which closes the slot in the stoppin and restricts the opening made by the slot in order to receive thefree ends of the lever arms 25 and permit them to positively raise and4lower the stop pins on the rocking motion thereof.

The spindle 30 is supported in the spindle bearing by a pairofantifriction bearings 37 and 37A, one near the upper end and the othernear the lower end thereof. Threaded to the lower end of the spindle 30at a point below the spindle bearing 29 on the under side' of theplatform 26 is a small pulley 38 which is driven by an endless belt 39from the motor which operates the printing machine. On .top of thespindle 30 is carried the selector arm 40, one side of which projectsfrom the spindle 30 substantially radial thereto. The. hub of' thisselector arm, which telescopes over the end of the spindle, is providedwith a pair of diametrically .placed keys 41 and 42 which engagesuitable slots in the spindle to hold the selector arm keyed thereto.These keys also project into the hollow center of the spindle where theyengage the keyways 43 and 44 of the vertical sliding shaft 45 whichcarries atl its upper end the tical rowon the carrier.

type carrier 4. The shaft 45 is thus splined to the hollow spindle 30 soas to rotate therewith while permitting an endwse movement therein toraise and lower the type carrier for a purpose that will presentlyappear.

The types on the type carrier are grouped in ten groups, each of .whichis arranged in a ver- Facing the type carrier is. a horizontally movingplaten 46 which is normally held spaced from it lto permit a paper sheet47 to be fed thru between the platen and the type carrier. The face ofthe platen has substantially the outline of one of the types provided onthe ltype carrier and in its horizontal movement forces the paper sheetin contact with the face of the type located opposite to it. By rotatingand raising the type carrier, the types of the ten groups of types canthus be individually brought opposite to the face of the platen 46 andhave this platen bring the paper in contact with the selected type.

In positioning a type, the rotation of the type carrier is thereforearrested when the group of types containing the particular type islocated opposite to the platen. This is done' by Aa stop pin 34 by-theselecting mechanism heretofore described. For example if animpression'is to I be made of the type which is designated on the, rst'key of the top row of keys indicated by reference character 1, this keyis depressed and.` thru its lever 2 and bell crank 6 moves the slid-Aing cam bar 11 to the left until a further movef" 1 ment is arrested bythe engagement' ofthe lug During Athis move- 14 with the shoulder 15.ment of the sliding cam bar 11 the cam 16 thereof engages the pin- 18 ofa predetermined oneof the cradles made up of the bell crank.

levers 19 and 20 and rocks this cradle with the pin 18. The angular link24, whichhas its lower end connected to this particular pin 18,

transmits this movement of the pin to its lever arm 25 and rocks it sothat its free end'raises the stop pin with which it makes engagement.'The reduced upper end of the stop pin thus:

raised, then projects above the annular flange 32 into the pathv of therotating selector armv 40 as illustrated in Figure 4. When the selectorarm then strikes the stop pin a further rotation thereof is arrested andthe type vcarrier is held stationary in a position in which theparticular type indicated on the depressed key is located,

opposite to the platen 46.

By operating any one of -the keys in one of the groups of i'our keys,the type 4carrier is thus brought to a standstill in the same angular'.130 position and the types on the carriers. are so arranged that in'this position the types of all four of these keys arelocated in thevertical lthree sliding cam bars included in each groupA of four whichhave a cam have a varying height. The camA bar 11 from which the cam 17is eliminated -when operated, keeps the type carrier in its originalposition. The cams 17 of the other three sliding cam bars however are ofincreasing size so that as theiriparticular sliding bar is'l spindle andadapted to move and project beyond said spindle bearing into the path ofsaid rotat ing selector arm, mea, controlled by said keys for raisingsaid stop p a pointed tip on the end of said stop pins, an angular tipon the end of said selector arm, said angular tipeot said selector armbeing adapted to slide over the pointed tip of said stop pins to depresssaid pins on the release thereof by said operating means.

3. In a key board selecting mechanism including a rotating type carriermounted on a shaft and a series of operating keys for each of the typeson said type carrier, a sliding cam bar operated by each of saidoperating keys, a series of cradles mounted to rock below said slidingcam bar, a pin carried by each of said cradles and means for yieldinglyholding said cradles to have the pins carried by them engage the underside ofa predetermined number of said sliding cam bars, a cam lugprovided on the under side of each oi.' said sliding cam bars, means forlimiting the movement oi said cam bars on the operation of said keys,said cam lugs on said sliding cam bars operating to engage said pins ofsaid cradles and rock said cradles on the limited movementl thereof, aselector arm rotating with said type carrier' shaft, means forconstantly rotating said type carrier shaft and means connected to saidcradles to arrest the rotation oi' said type carrier shaft with the typecarrier in a predetermined angular position on the operation of one otsaid operating keys.

4. In a type selecting mechanism for printing means connecting each ofsaid groupingmemlbers with one oi' said stop pins to cause a stop pin tomove into the path'of said selector arml and arrest the rotation of saidspindle and type` carrier on the operation of one of a group ofl saidsliding cam bars.

5. In a type selecting mechanism for printing machines, the combinationo! a rotary type carrier, v'types circumferentially arranged andlongitudinally spaced in series on said carrier, means for constantlyrotating said carrier, intermit' tently operating means i'or moving saidcarrier longitudinally, stop means for the rotary -motion o1' saidtypecarrier to hold one of the cil-J'4 cumferentially spaced types in apredeterminedl angular position, a carriage for said type cari' rier, aseries of stop means adapted toe'ngage said carriage'and cooperatingwith said longitudinal moving means for locating said type' carrierlongitudinally and single key operated joint control means forsimultaneously controlling both of said stop means to locate one of theseries of types of the type carrier in a predetermined position.

CHARLES H.' simpson.-

